As with many police departments across the country, the three-man Paducah K-9 Division plays a vital role when it comes to sniffing out drugs and apprehending fugitives.

The dogs, all Belgian Malinois, represent a significant initial investment - about $10,000 to $15,000 each to start - but the teams more than make up for the cost within their first years on the streets, Paducah Police Chief Brandon Barnhill said.

That expense covers the cost of the dog plus training and outfitting a police vehicle with the K-9 cage and related gear.

Barnhill said he doesn't just measure the animals' value in dollars. In addition to their value in sniffing out drugs and apprehending criminals, they also help to strengthen the department's ties with the community.

For K-9 officer Lofton Rowley, who started as a patrol officer 10 years ago, becoming a dog handler was more of a calling than a job. When he was young, Rowley's mother gave him a jumbo coloring book about police dogs. The seed was planted.

Rowley's canine partner is 6-year-old Fox. The two have been working the streets for about five years and also work with the SWAT team.

Rowley describes the first time he saw Fox as a "halo and angels" moment.

"As soon as I saw him I said, 'That's my dog. That's the dog I want,'" he recalled.

Together, Rowley and Fox have made more than 250 arrests during the last five years. They've also seized some $50,000 worth of drugs and $14,000 in cash.

The most important aspect of working with a canine is trust between the dog and the handler, Rowley said.

“A team is only as good as it’s weakest link,” he said. A strong bond between the handler and the dog is essential to a successful working team and for the officer, trusting the dog is key.

Craven

“We feed off each other in everything we do,” said Officer Shawn Craven of working with his five-year-old canine Huub. “We can read each other. We just have a very intuitive relationship.”

Craven, who started on the force in 2008, and Huub have been working together for about two years.

“He’s basically my best friend,” Craven said. “I spend more time with him than I do anybody else. He’s always by my side.”

Craven said he’s had dogs most of his life so the opportunity to work with a dog was appealing to him.

Since hitting the streets, Craven and Huub have made approximately 130 arrests, and seized several pounds of marijuana, methamphetamine and other drugs.

Craven and Huub also played a key role in tracking and apprehending a California man who was wanted two years ago for his involvement in a hit an run accident that seriously injured another PPD officer.

“That was one of those cases where I really learned to trust Hubb’s instincts,” Craven said.

For officer Nathan Antonites, getting a dog he could trust not only to work but also interact safely with the public drew him to his 5-year-old canine, Junior.

"I really liked his obedience and also his social ability," Antonites said. "I didn't want a dog I was going to constantly have to worry about being around people."

Antonites

The team’s favorite duty is tracking, Antonites said.

“I like getting out there and finding someone who has taken off and for him it’s kind of like a big hide and go seek game,” he said.

Over the three years they’ve been working together, Antonites said Junior has taught him to let the dog take the lead. He recalled a case where he and Junior were tracking a 17-year-old who was wanted for robbery and car theft.

At first the officer said, he wasn’t feeling confident in Junior’s tracking. In fact, he said, he pulled the dog off twice because he thought the animal was going in the wrong direction.

“It turned out I had stopped (the dog) about 50 yards from where the guy was hiding in a creek,” he said. “If I had just trusted him a little more and seen it through, we would have found the guy.”

Now Antonites said he realizes that when tracking, the less human input, the better.

“Basically, you’re the guy holding the leash and watching the dog do his job,” he said with a laugh.

Although costly, Chief Barnhill said regards the dogs as "extremely valuable members" of the department. regards the dogs as "extremely valuable members" of the department."These dogs have been a major factor in reducing drug trafficking," he said. "They also bring great value to strengthening the department's relationship with the community. Everyone loves animals ... and they love a working animal. The dogs garner appreciation for what we do."